It is known that automobiles have headlamps or headlights that are used at night or during poor visibility conditions to improve the visibility for the driver. The known headlamps include generally a headlamp housing, an outer headlamp lens, a headlamp bulb, and movable headlamp reflector. The headlamp reflector is used to direct the light beam emitted from the headlamp bulb in a desired direction. In a typical application, the headlamp reflector is mounted to the headlamp housing through the use of at least one ball-type pivot, which is typically stationary on the housing. The ball-type pivot allows the reflector to be pivotally moved and therefore pivotally adjusted. To achieve the pivoting movement of the headlamp reflector and thus the adjustment of the headlamp reflector, it is known that automobile headlamps include headlamp adjusters. The headlamp adjusters move the position or orientation of the headlamp reflector and thus aim or direct the headlamp light beam in a desired direction.
The headlamp adjusters are typically mounted to the headlamp housing and include an adjuster output shaft operatively connected to the movable reflector. In use, the linear movement of the output shaft causes pivoting movement of the reflector. To effect linear movement of the output shaft, conventional adjusters include a drive component that is geared to the adjuster output shaft. A tool may be used to cause movement of the drive component. The gearing between the drive component and output shaft translates movement from the drive component to the output shaft and also causes linear translation of the adjuster output shaft. As stated, the linear movement of the output shaft causes pivoting movement of the headlamp reflector and thus adjustment of headlamp light beam.
In some instances, the headlamp reflectors move or pivot away from a desired position due to such causes as vibration, jarring, or the vehicle being in an accident. To re-adjust the headlamp reflector back to the desired position, a mechanic uses a tool to operate the drive component of the headlamp adjuster to effect movement of the output shaft and consequently movement of the reflector to the desired position.
A known drawback with existing headlamp adjusters is that the adjusters are configured such that they do not prevent “over-travel” of the adjuster output shaft. Over-travel of the adjuster shaft can have the undesirable effect of causing breakage of the headlamp adjuster housing and/or the headlamp reflector. More particularly, the over-extension of the adjuster output shaft can damage the reflector, and over-retraction of the adjuster shaft back into the adjuster housing can cause the end of the adjuster shaft to contact an interior wall of the housing, resulting in damage or cracking to the housing. A crack in the adjuster housing can have the undesirable effect of permitting dirt and/or moisture into the housing.
The present invention is directed at overcoming these and other known drawbacks and disadvantages with existing headlamp adjusters.